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Traffic Commissioners' Reports
Page 103
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NAINIBUSES, maintenance and rural services are the three main features of the al Annual Reports of the Traffic Commissioners, published last Friday by H.M. Stationery Office, price 5s. The reports, which cover the period from April 1. 1960, to March 31, 1961, are published for the first time since before the war in their full form, and not as a summary At March 31, last, the country's bus fleet amounted to 67,710 vehicles (excluding London Transport) operated by 5,184 operators. The previous year's figures were 66,471 vehicles and 4.868 operators.
Practically all the Commissioners express concern at the growth in operation of small buses, few of which seem to be on road service licences, and draw attention to the difficulty of taking enforcement action because of the need to prove payment of fares or sharing of costs.
Some of the Commissioners say that a certain amount of illegal use of these vehicles is due to ignorance, on the part of their owners, of the law's requirements.
The Yorkshire Commissioners report a doubling in the number of successful prosecutions. Small buses are described as "a major problem" by the West Midland Commissioners. Of the 72 proceedings instituted by the Eastern Commissioners, 57 were against users of illegally operated small buses. The Western Commissioners, underlining the difficulty of obtaining evidence, report that .only seven prosecutions could be mounted after investigation of 52 complaints.
"Satisfactory, but ..."
Practically every one of the Commissioners who mention maintenance do so in similar words. "It has been satisfactory, but ...", is the usual line.
Black smoke concerns the Northern Commissioners, who say that whilst the standard of maintenance was satisfactory, it had been necessary to draw the attention of some operators to the emission of smoke. Many operators, say the North Western Commissioners, lack the money to spend on maintenance. "In many cases the interior cleanliness of vehicles leaves much to be desired," is one comment by the East Midland Commissioners.
Constant pressure on a few operators was necessary, say the Western Commissioners, for them to be able to report a "generally satisfactory" standard of maintenance. Mr. D. I. R. Muir, the Metropolitan Commissioner, makes a similar remark.
"Gives Concern" " The economic situation of small operators, in its effect on maintenance and renewals, gives concern," report the Scottish Commissioners.
Generally speaking, the decline in rural services continued. The Northern Commissioners, for example, report four more rural services withdrawn. But the Yorkshire Commissioners say: "The position . . has not deteriorated. No Tura] service was significantly reduced either in frequency or mileage."
A different reaction from the neighbouring North Western Commissionirs:
" Still presents a problem, but the number of such services discontinued showed a reduction, compared with 1959-60."
The West Midland Commissioners report two routes, representing 88 miles of rural services, abandoned and a net reduction, on the total rural service mileage, of 700. Commenting on the non-subsidization of unremunerative services, the Commissioners draw attention to the small operators, the danger of whose disappearance on a service is much greater than that of a larger company. Many of the small operators are advancing in age, particularly in country areas.
No Reference Neither the East Midland nor the Eastern Commissioners refer to rural services as a specific subject.
" The reduction of rural services continued, though not to a marked degree," say the South Wales Commissioners. The total weekly loss was 828 miles.
Increases and decreases in rural services are reported by the Western Commissioners, who say: "In general the rural bus services in this area meet the reasonable requirements of the public. The services have been increased or decreased to meet the changing circumstances and we have received very few complaints of inconvenience."
Here is a brief review of the other points the Commissioners made in their reports:
NORTHERN-58 new stage and express services licensed, 30 of them for workers' services. Fifteen licences surrendered, four of them rural routes. Total of " one-man " dispensations now 281. Decline in traffic last year, but some municipalities reported improvement this year. Shortage of platform staff. Total of 177 p.s.v. licences suspended. In all, 10,702 inspections, of all types, carried out.
YORKSHIRE —54 new services licensed. Recruitment a continuing problem. Total of 9,909 vehicles inspected, and 185 suspensions ordered. Increase in one-man buses, dispensations in effect for 26 operators and 253 services. Five municipalities authorized to run one-man buses on any stage service.
NORTH WESTERN — Noticeable increase in licence applications for
workmen'S assisted travel services. Coach/air tours to Continent a new
development, and "may . . gradually oust the orthodox-type extended. tours to the Continent." One-man operation now approved for 883 services. Number of suspensions, 141; number of inspections, 23,477.
WEST MIDLAND—One-man services so far "wholly rural "; 277 dispensations' in force. General position more stable than for many years past. Difficulties .experienced in introducing staggered hours of work for Birmingham industries; 62 per cent. of Birmingham Corporation fleet needed only for peaks. About 10 per cent. decrease in suspensions.
EAST MIDLAND—Total dispensations now authorized for one-man operation, 516. The number of successful prosecutions, compared with the previous year, greatly increased. Greatest increase (300 per cent.) in convictions for using a vehicle without a p.s.v. licence.
EASTERN—Total of 95 stage and express services withdrawn, in all except six cases because service was no longer required. Dispensations permitting oneman operation now total 651 services. Difficult to assess how much use is made of these dispensations, though.
SOUTH WALES--In all, 129 p.s.v. licences suspended because of mechanical defects. Number of inspections carried out 5.064 (512 fewer than previous year). One-man operation permitted on 378 services.
WESTERN—Of 54 new entrants to the industry, only 13 operate road service licences, and 12 of these replaced existing operators. Licences for 116 services surrendered, 37 of which were withdrawn for Tack of support. Many reductions in camp services. Total of 98 new services licensed. One-man buses authorized on 1,399 services, but used wholly or partly on 543.
SOUTH EASTERN—Shortage of platform staff still acute in some areas. Use of standee buses in such cases has proved most successful. Introduction of five-day week had big impact on bus services. Contracts for workers' assisted travel frequently given to small local operators, to exclusion of regular bus operator.
METROPOLITAN—During the year 5,625 examinations of the spot check variety were carried out. These proved beneficial as they helped to ensure that vehicles were maintained in serviceable condition between annual inspections.
SCOTTISH—Continuing decline in passenger traffic, particularly in evenings. Number of 12-seater vehicles rose to 255. only 29 being owned by holders of road service licences. About 70 per cent. in rural districts. Prosecutions increased by 50 per cent, over the previous year.